Portrait
“Freedom of research is a precious commodity”
Last year, nutritionist Dr. Rahele Tavakoly came to Germany from Iran with funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. At the Robert Bosch Center for Integrative Medicine and Health, the young researcher is investigating the influence of dietary patterns on illnesses such as depression.
Dr. Rahele Tavakoly collects data from population groups that eat a Mediterranean, vegan, or “Western” diet with many unhealthy components and looks at how often depression occurs in these groups.
Rahele Tavakoly's kitchen smells wonderful. Coriander, dill, parsley, fenugreek, and spinach are roasting in a large pan. Later, lime juice, beans, and browned lamb will be added. “Gormeh Sabzi is one of the most famous national dishes in my home country, Iran. And it's my favorite meal,” says the 39-year-old. As a doctor of nutritional science, she not only knows the value of good nutrients for our bodies. She also knows that certain foods and dishes have a positive effect on our mental health. For example, they can evoke memories and trigger feelings of well-being. When Rahele Tavakoly feels homesick, she goes to one of the Iranian, Arabic or Turkish supermarkets in Stuttgart to buy the ingredients for her mother's recipes and cooks a piece of home in Swabia.
Until 2023, Rahele Tavakoly was an assistant professor of nutritional sciences in Iran, where she conducted research and taught students. She then applied to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, which awards grants to German universities and research institutions to enable them to host foreign scientists for two years.
A boon for complementary medicine
The nutrition expert was awarded the fellowship and came to the Robert Bosch Center for Integrative Medicine and Health (RBIM) in Stuttgart. Holger Cramer, the institute's scientific director and professor of complementary medicine research at the University of Tübingen, immediately saw the potential for collaboration: “Rahele Tavakoly is an outstanding scientist whose research work is an asset to our institute.” Among other things, the RBIM looks at different non-drug methods that people can use themselves to stay healthy and get better. “Nutrition is a really important part of that,” says Holger Cramer, explaining one reason for bringing the Iranian scientist to the RBIM. Another is the chance to support Rahele Tavakoly in her scientific career.
She has been living in Stuttgart for one and a half years now. “Here, I can pursue my research according to my own ideas,” explains Tavakoly. She is investigating the effects of nutrition on health and the course of diseases, preferably in connection with complementary medicine. She finds it incredibly exciting to explore the influences of nutrition on our physical and mental health. In order to scientifically verify the effects and be able to make recommendations for action, Tavakoly compiles and evaluates existing studies and data in so-called meta-analyses. Specifically, she is currently working on epidemiological studies on dietary patterns and the occurrence of depression. Among other things, the researcher compares data on population groups that eat a Mediterranean, vegan, or "Western" diet with many harmful components with information on how often depression occurs in each group. “Laboratory results suggest that a pro-inflammatory diet high in red and industrially processed meat also leads to more depression,” says Holger Cramer.
“We share ideas, data, and insights and look at research topics from different angles. That moves us all forward.”
Is that really the case in practice, in people's everyday lives? Rahele Tavakoly is trying to find out. Her own everyday life is currently dominated by reading papers, statistical analysis, and scientific discussions with colleagues. The Iranian researcher finds the interdisciplinary spirit at the Bosch Health Campus in Stuttgart enriching. “We share ideas, data, and insights and look at research topics from different angles. That helps us all move forward.” She says she missed such intensive teamwork and the motivation it brings in her previous jobs.
Curious about the German healthcare system
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grant is for two years. Rahele Tavakoly would like to stay in Germany longer. “Freedom of research is a valuable asset that is just as highly valued here as the work of women and young scientists,” she says. She would like to learn more about the German healthcare system and continue her academic work and career so that she can lead research projects and support young scientists in the future.
The 39-year-old likes German culture and the way people interact with each other. When she is not busy learning German, Rahele Tavakoly visits festivals and exhibitions in Stuttgart and the surrounding area, goes out into nature, or socializes with her colleagues. She is also curious about the local cuisine. "Local food is always part of a region's culture. No matter where I am, I always like to try the local food,“ says the researcher. In Germany, she is impressed by the variety of vegetarian dishes offered on food menus. But in Swabia, she is particularly fond of Maultaschen and sausages. ”It's not the healthiest food,“ admits the nutrition expert, ”but it's really delicious." Enjoyment also plays an important role in nutrition and quality of life – just like the freedom to make decisions, educate oneself, and conduct research.